All of Us All of Us at the Berkeley Art Center celebrates collaborative contemporary photography projects produced by Bay Area makers. In addition to challenging the familiar concept of a solitary photographer addressing aesthetic, technical, or socio-political matters, the four featured projects exemplify collaborators striving as equals to answer the same questions and more.
Portraiture is one of the oldest and most relatable photographic genres. Yet, in the 21st century, it is not wholly inclusive. Both behind and in front of the camera, queer artists are interrogating ongoing discrimination. Walking through All of Us All of Us, visitors will witness multiple portrait series. By design, they are highlighted to demonstrate the conceptual breadth of such projects and how they advance representational equity.
After weathering two and half years framed by pandemic-fueled uncertainty and isolation, All of Us All of Us honors the profundity of human connection. Collaboration in any form, but particularly artistic practice, demonstrates that tending to the psychological wounds inflicted by racism, socio-economic, and gender-identity discrimination cuts a meaningful path forward. Sharing its title and many key themes raised in Marianne Boruch’s poem, the photographic projects animating the exhibition encourage us to consider how and with whom we build community, who is missing, and how we embrace them moving forward. –Roula Seikaly, Curator
